1.

Exploring Divakaruni’s depiction of Sita and

Draupadi in Indian Epics: A Feminist perspective
2. Comparing situational ethics in Divakaruni’s
rendition of Sita and Draupadi
3. Analysing female archetypes in Chitra Banerjee’s
interpretation of Sita and Draupadi

THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS:

The Palace Of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an
enthralling novel that vividly captures the essence of the epic
Mahabharat. What sets this novel apart is that it is narrated from the
perspective of Draupadi, a character who played a pivotal role in
shaping the events of the epic. Though she is an unsung heroine, her
unwavering spirit and fierce determination to fight injustice have
made her a role model for gender equality. Draupadi's story is a
testimony to the fact that feminism is not a 20th-century phenomenon,
but has always existed in some form or the other. As a woman who
dared to question patriarchal norms and fought against societal
injustice, she can be regarded as the pioneer of feminism. What makes
this novel even more fascinating is the fact that it offers a fresh
perspective on the Mahabharata, which is often written from the
perspective of male heroes. By giving voice to the female
protagonists, Divakaruni's rendition adds new and truly revelatory
psychological and social dimensions to the great epic's indelible story
of sacrifice and spiritual awakening. It is no surprise that Divakaruni
considers The Palace of Illusions as the most challenging project of
her writing life. Through her masterful storytelling, she brings to life
an epic tale that has stood the test of time and continues to captivate
readers with its timeless wisdom and universal themes.. She was
advised by friends and family to not create her own version of the
epic as it is a sacred text but she was determined. “It wove myth,
history, religion, science, philosophy, superstition, and statecraft into
innumerable stories-within-stories to create a rich and teeming world
filled with psychological complexities”. The author was dissatisfied
with the portrayal of women in the epic who affected the events in
major ways such as Kunti, Gandhari, and most importantly Draupadi.
She promised herself that she would create a version of Mahabharat
in which she would place a woman in the forefront of the action.
Because all the women in the epic remain shadowy figures, and their
emotions are described only when they affect lives of the male heroes.
In Divakaruni’s palace of illusions , the entire story is narrated by
Draupadi coloring it with her joys and doubts, her struggles and
triumphs, her heartbreaks and achievements, her strengths and her
faults, and the unique timeless way in which she understands her
world and her place in it.

CHITRA BENERJEE DIVAKARUNI :

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a highly acclaimed Indian-American
poet and author who was born in Kolkata, India. She pursued her
passion for literature and writing by moving to the United States to
earn her master's degree in English from Wright State University, and
then went on to earn a PhD in English from the University of
California-Berkeley.
Divakaruni has made a remarkable contribution to the literary world
with her exceptional poetry and prose. Her work primarily reflects her
keen interest in exploring the immigrant experience, especially the
experiences of South Asian women. She has authored several poetry
collections including Black Candle: Poems about Women from India,
Pakistan, and Bangladesh (1991) and Leaving Yuba City (1997),
which earned her the Allen Ginsberg Poetry Prize and the Gerbode
Foundation Award. Her story collections include Arranged Marriage
(1994), which won the American Book Award, the Bay Area Book
Reviewers Award, and the PEN Josephine Miles Award for fiction,
and The Unknown Errors of Our Lives (2001).
Divakaruni's novels are equally impressive, including the best-selling
Mistress of Spices (1997), Sister of My Heart (1999) and its sequel,
The Vine of Desire (2002), Queen of Dreams (2003), The Palace of
Illusions (2008), One Amazing Thing (2009), and Oleander Girl
(2013). Her work has been widely published, anthologized, and
translated. In addition to her adult fiction, she has also written young
adult novels, such as Neela: Victory Song (2002) and the trilogy The
Brotherhood of the Conch: The Conch Bearer (2003), The Mirror of
Fire and Dreaming (2005), and Shadowland (2009). She has also
penned the children’s book Grandma and the Great Gourd: A Bengali
Folktale (2013), with illustrations by Susy Pilgrim Waters.
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's literary achievements have been
recognized with many accolades and awards, including the C.Y. Lee
Creative Writing Award, PEN Syndicated Fiction Awards, multiple
Pushcart Prizes, the South Asian Literary Association’s Distinguished
Author Award, International House Alumna of the Year from the
University of California-Berkeley, the Cultural Jewel Award from the
Indian Culture Center in Houston, and the Light of India Award from
the Times of India.
Currently, Divakaruni is the Betty and Gene McDavid Professor of
Creative Writing at the University of Houston, where she continues to
inspire and educate aspiring writers with her artful storytelling and
insightful observations of the world around us.